TX 1997 F-250, 4x4, 7.3

[TexasTinkerer]

Price: $13,500

The time has come to part with my truck, only selling because I have a baby on the way. Extended cab, 4x4, 7.3l diesel, automatic transmission. Power windows and locks. I have a massive stack of receipts for everything on the truck. Including the original window sticker from the dealer in 1997. Engine is all original and unmolested. Never towed, never tuned, will never stop running. Runs and drives great as-is, I take it to work every Tuesday up I-35. Not very fast, but no hiccups. No rust, Texas truck. Text 817-301-2873 for more pictures or fastest response on questions or offers. Price is OBO. I’m not trying to make a profit, hard to price this so please send offers.

Everything works great on the truck except the following:

• Glow plugs are out (block heater works great)
• Needs to idle for a few minutes before driving or else it will stall. Not sure why.
• Locks do not work.
• Slight lean to the passenger side (1”). Not sure why.
• Radio
• Parking brake needs adjustment.

What it needs:

• Door panels
• Dash pad
• Radio
• Maybe some suspension work?
• Maybe fuel bowl?
• Glow plugs
• Valve cover seals
• Hole patched for gooseneck

Aftermarket work:

• Sky Offroad complete Super Duty axle and leaf spring conversion. Flipped and reversed front shackle, flipped rear shackle. All new suspension components.
• Drop pitman arm.
• 30gal Super Duty front tank. Plastic, won’t rust.
• Fully rebuilt axles from 2004 Super Duty F-350 (full one-ton).
• Fully rebuilt front and rear drive shafts.
• All new Super Duty brake components

 

[2big bronco]

Never towed...

Needs hole patched from gooseneck...

 

[samy crawler]

Will never stop running either, unless you drive it too soon.

 

[TexasTinkerer]

Fair points. Should have clarified, I’ve personally never towed with it. The gooseneck was off when I got the truck. Yes, it’s a good engine and not showing any signs of expensive problems.

Seems to be a fuel bowl issue, not injectors or something more serious. Last time I changed the filter the bowl wasn’t full. I think the bowl is not holding diesel and the pump needs 5 minutes to catch up. But, doesn’t drip. Probably needs seals. Feel free to come take a look.

 

[TRINDU]

How many miles?

 

[TexasTinkerer]

249k and change. Will hit 250k soon. I got it in 2018 at 212k, and performed the axle swap around 247k.

 

[2big bronco]

So you have owned it less then 25% of its milage and claim "never towed" but then changed that to "well ive never towed". Do you actually know that its never been tuned?

"Runs and drives great as is" well except that it doesnt drive cold, the sterio doesnt work, it leans to the right, the valve cover leaks and maybe the fuel bowl.... oh and dont bother trying to lock the doors or using the glow plugs.

 

[TexasTinkerer]

I drive it every week. Starts right up on the block heater when it gets cold, idles fine, wait a few minutes, and you can drive it anywhere. Tracks straight, alignment is good. It’s 25 years old, of course some stuff leaks.

An old farmer in West Texas owned it since new, I bought from a guy in Austin who never did anything to it other than break the locks and door panel. Never had to remove a tuner or get it retuned. If you’re seriously interested I’ll go get the computer read and get the tune for you. Otherwise, yeah I’m going to say it’s factory. You’d have a hard time convincing me otherwise.

 

[Steve300xcw]

cant say I have ever seen a farmer tow anything before

 

[06h3]

13,500? Nope, I wouldn’t pay over 7k but in all reality it wouldn’t be over 5k due to the stupid ad. “Never been towed. Needs a patch for the gooseneck.” That comment tells me there’s 17 other unknown things wrong with it.

Good luck with the sale

Edit: “unmolested” but it is running around with no glow plugs….sounds molested

 

[TexasTinkerer]

Can’t excuse the ad, that was an honest oversight but I understand it makes people suspicious. I’m more than willing to go out of my way to document the condition or answer questions to address concerns. If it doesn’t sell before I finish my termite eaten kitchen I’ll be fixing the small stuff and re-list it in better condition.

The axle swap was close to $5k in parts and getting the axles and drive shafts rebuilt, so couldn’t take $7k for it. I’ve never seen a running and driving sub-300k mile 4x4 diesel OBS with a straight and solid body (bed excepted) sell for $7k but if you can find one you should buy it.

 

[2big bronco]

Can’t excuse the ad, that was an honest oversight but I understand it makes people suspicious. I’m more than willing to go out of my way to document the condition or answer questions to address concerns. If it doesn’t sell before I finish my termite eaten kitchen I’ll be fixing the small stuff and re-list it in better condition.

The axle swap was close to $5k in parts and getting the axles and drive shafts rebuilt, so couldn’t take $7k for it. I’ve never seen a running and driving sub-300k mile 4x4 diesel OBS with a straight and solid body (bed excepted) sell for $7k but if you can find one you should buy it.

The turbos are harder to find for sure but clean non turbo sub 300k are $5-8k all day in ca


First one to pop up, 6500 obo with banks turbo.... still not a 97

By the way, I wasnt knocking the price, just the way the add was written

 

[TexasTinkerer]

Yeah, once they jump to Powerstroke from IDI the prices seem to jump a lot. Like I said earlier, I’m tossing a dart on the board for pricing. I’m currently about half of the price in my area for a similar trucks in very good condition. So the number seems fair but I am willing to listen to offers.

 

[TRINDU]

The turbos are harder to find for sure but clean non turbo sub 300k are $5-8k all day in ca


First one to pop up, 6500 obo with banks turbo.... still not a 97

Apples to oranges. Yes you have the derp that just sees OBS dizzel, but that's not the guy paying top dollar for a truck either.



The ad sucks and is a complete contradiction on every front. Red flag and hard pass. Saying it's a west texas farm truck doesn't help matters either

 

[Steve300xcw]

Yeah, once they jump to Powerstroke from IDI the prices seem to jump a lot. Like I said earlier, I’m tossing a dart on the board for pricing. I’m currently about half of the price in my area for a similar trucks in very good condition. So the number seems fair but I am willing to listen to offers.

Weld a coffee can to the exhaust, spray paint the wheels black maybe even tint the back windows while your at it, and park that bitch across the street from the local high school with a $15k price on it.

 

[TexasTinkerer]

Edit: “unmolested” but it is running around with no glow plugs….sounds molested

It wouldn’t run at all without the glow plugs installed. Low marks for reading comprehension or understanding powerstrokes.

They are burnt out or the wiring under the valve cover is worn out. Very common for a truck this old. Already replaced the bad relay.

 

[06h3]

It wouldn’t run at all without the glow plugs installed. Low marks for reading comprehension or understanding powerstrokes.

They are burnt out or the wiring under the valve cover is worn out. Very common for a truck this old. Already replaced the bad relay.

Laugh all you want. I’ll get the final laugh when you get closer to 7k instead of 13,500

 

[TexasTinkerer]

Come give me 10k, I’ll buy a 6-pack of your favorite beer, and we can both laugh.

 

[NorCalJalopy]

It wouldn’t run at all without the glow plugs installed. Low marks for reading comprehension or understanding powerstrokes.

They are burnt out or the wiring under the valve cover is worn out. Very common for a truck this old. Already replaced the bad relay.

My old service truck didn’t have the glow plug relay, started up multiple times a day. Js

 

[2big bronco]

My old service truck didn’t have the glow plug relay, started up multiple times a day. Js

Yeah, I dont really know why but the not starting easy without the block heater is usually signs the injectors are at the end of thier life.

 

[bdkw1]

Yeah, I dont really know why but the not starting easy without the block heater is usually signs the injectors are at the end of thier life.

Or the batteries are almost done. My 97 was getting hard to start like that. Had to plug it in to make it fire. In SoCal. Put new batteries in it and it started like a champ.

 

[SLOWPOKE693]

My 7.3 is slightly hard to start when it's cold and has been sitting for days/weeks on end without the block heater, but will fire up no problem if it's only a night or two.

I can't remember the last time I put batteries in it, maybe it's time?

 

[TRINDU]

Can confirm 7.3L need hot batteries

 

[TexasTinkerer]

Fear not, I’ll make a build thread for all of you to comment suggestions on if it doesn’t sell in the next few weeks. I have some credibility to earn anyways. Should be a fun time.

 

[DMG]

My 7.3 is slightly hard to start when it's cold and has been sitting for days/weeks on end without the block heater, but will fire up no problem if it's only a night or two.

I can't remember the last time I put batteries in it, maybe it's time?

My 03 7.3 did that when it wae cold. I think the injectors were sticking